Sri Lanka to lock horns with Papua New Guinea today
By Shamseer Jaleel
Kandy SC fly half Fazil Marija will lead the National Sevens Team at their very first Sevens tournament this year at the Borneo Sevens against the Papua New Guinea in their opening group encounter today. 
The tournament will be worked off for three days with the knock-out stage starting on the last day. There will be six men’s teams and eight women’s team in the three days of the competition.
The Sri Lankan team will consist of five players from Havelocks SC, three from Navy SC and two each from Kandy SC and CR&FC for this tour.
Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Singapore, China, Tonga and Hong Kong will feature in the men’s segment while the women’s segment will have two groups. In group A China, Hong Kong, Japan and Malaysia will feature. The group B will have teams such as Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Melbourne and Thailand.
Making their sevens debut are Kanchana Ramanayake and Anuradha Herath, both proving themselves in the inter club league for the Longdon Place club.
Skipper of the side Marija told the Daily FT: “We have the knowledge and experience but it will be measured in how we put it into practice and change the game from XV to sevens in a short time period. We are in the middle of the inter club season. This will be very vital as the trial for the Hong Kong Sevens which will take place at the end of March this year will be the 40th year in the running of the tournament.”
Coach Rajeev Perera
Manager Rohan Chinthaka
Asian Division I in Philippines in May
This year’s Asian Division I rugby tournament will take place in Manila, Philippines from 3 to 9 May. Sri Lanka, Philippines, Singapore and Kazakhstan will feature in the tournament which will be worked off on a league basis. |
Lankan team picked for ARFU Asia Pacific Cross Regional Sevens
27 Feb to 1 March – Sandakan, Malaysia
The Sri Lanka team for the Borneo Rugby Sevens – the first tournament for the year was picked on Monday. The tournament takes place in Malaysia from 27 February to 1 March and feature six men’s and eight women’s teams.
The Sri Lankan team will consist of five players from Havelocks, three from Navy and two each from Kandy and CR&FC. Here is the final contingent for the tournament.
Kandy SC Fazil Marija (Capt)
Kandy SC Lavanga Perera
Havelock SC Sudharshan Muthuthantri
Havelock SC Dulaj Perera
Havelock SC Sadun Herath
Havelock SC Danushka Ranjan
Havelock SC Mithun Hapugoda
Navy SC Dinusha Chathuranga
Navy SC Sajith Saranga
Navy SC Srinath Sooriyabndara
CR & FC Anuradha Herath
CR & FC Kanchana Ramanayaka
Havelock SC Rohan Thayagaraja
(Stand by)
Navy SC Vishwamithra Jayasinghe
(Stand by)
Army SC Chula Susantha (Stand by)
Official Rohan Chinthake
Official Amith Jayasekara
Official Rajeew Perera
